Fitzgerald (@HunLax, @LXCMinutemen) wins King of the X at @NXT_Showcase #NXTPS2015

Liam Fitzgerald, the winner of Saturday’s King of the X at the 2015 Boys Philly Showcase, absorbed one key piece of advice from last year’s winner, Kyle Flouty.

“Kyle told me it takes a lot of mental toughness to get through,” Fitzgerald said.

King of the X champion Liam Fitzgerald

A 2017 midfielder from The Hun School, Fitzgerald lost his first matchup in the double elimination faceoff tournament at Episcopal Academy before rallying for the title, over Arapahoe (CO) 2018 Jackson Harvey (3D).

“You’ve just got to keep grinding,” Fitzgerald said. “Don’t let one loss get you down.”

Liam Fitzgerald, The Hun School (N.J.), 2017, Laxachusetts

What strategies and mental approach did you use to win the title?
Fitzgerald: “You’ve just got to keep grinding. Don’t let one loss get you down. I started with a loss, but I came back and won them all. I relied on a lot of mental strength.”

What goals did you have today and what did you accomplish?
Fitzgerald: “My goals were to have a good showcase and get some looks (from college coaches). I didn’t have the greatest game day, but I wanted to finish the day strong, put my best out there.”

How was the competition in the morning games and in the King of the X and what did you do to raise your level?
Fitzgerald: “I really bore down. The kid I met in the quarterfinals beat me a lot in second game during the morning. So I just focused on my fundamentals, and really grinded down.”

What did you learn about your game today that will help you moving forward?
Fitzgerald: “I found it’s all about resiliency. I’m going to utilize that in the second half in a lot of my games this year.”

What type of college are you looking for, athletically and academically?
Fitzgerald: “I want to go to college and be a scholar athlete. I want to excel at my sport.”

Runner-up Jackson Harvey, Arapahoe (CO), 2018, 3D

King of the X runner-up Jackson Harvey

What strategies and mental approach did you use to reach the championship?
Harvey: “I went into every faceoff knowing I was going to win. I kept confidence within myself. I didn’t go easy on anyone. Even if I lost one faceoff, I tried to keep my mind empty and focus on winning.”

What goals did you have today and what did you accomplish?
Harvey: “Overall, today was a success. My main goal was to win faceoff title. I didn’t quite accomplish it my goal, but I did win my class.”

How was the competition in the morning games and in the King of the X and what did you do to raise your level?
Harvey: “As the day progressed, I got better. All three games were preparation. I dialed in more each game to prepare for the King of the X.”

What did you learn about your game today that will help you moving forward?
Harvey: “I learned that there’s nothing else for me to do but keep working. I have to get better. If I want to come back here next year and achieve the same thing, I have to keep working just has hard as I’ve worked this year.”

What type of college are you looking for, athletically and academically?
Harvey: “I’m definitely looking for a school that is top tier in academics and athletics. I’m hoping to play Division I.”